ng it, but the story remained as it was. And that's the
best in great things and in small, so also with regard to soup on a
sausage-peg--not to expect any thanks for it.

THE STONE OF THE WISE MEN.

Far away in the land of India, far away towards the East, at the end
of the world, stood the Tree of the Sun, a noble tree, such as we have
never seen, and shall probably never see. The crown stretched out
several miles around: it was really an entire wood; each of its
smallest branches formed, in its turn, a whole tree. Palms, beech
trees, pines, plane trees, and various other kinds grew here, which
are found scattered in all other parts of the world: they shot out
like small branches from the great boughs, and these large boughs with
their windings and knots formed, as it were, valleys and hills,
clothed with velvety green, and covered with flowers. Everything was
like a wide, blooming meadow, or like the most charming garden. Here
the birds from all quarters of the world assembled together--birds
from the primeval forests of America, the rose gardens of Damascus,
from the deserts of Africa, in which the elephant and the lion boast
of being the only rulers. The Polar birds came flying hither, and of
course the stork and the swallow were not absent; but the birds were
not the only living beings: the stag, the squirrel, the antelope, and
a hundred other beautiful and light-footed animals were here at home.
The crown of the tree was a widespread fragrant garden, and in the
midst of it, where the great boughs raised themselves into a green
hill, there stood a castle of crystal, with a view towards every
quarter of heaven. Each tower was reared in the form of a lily.
Through the stem one could ascend, for within it was a winding-stair;
one could step out upon the leaves as upon balconies; and up in the
calyx of the flower itself was the most beautiful, sparkling round
hall, above which no other roof rose but the blue firmament with sun
and stars.

Just as much splendour, though in another way, appeared below, in the
wide halls of the castle. Here, on the walls, the whole world around
was reflected. One saw everything that was done, so that there was no
necessity of reading any papers, and indeed papers were not obtainable
there. Everything was to be seen in living pictures, if one only
wished to see it; for too much is still too much even for the wisest
man; and this man dwelt here. His name is very difficult--you wi